Choi takes the Championship lead Close
Friday, July 18, 2008 8:08 PM BST
Korea's 37-year-old K J Choi completed a round of 67 in the easier afternoon conditions to push Greg Norman out of his long-held lead in The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. His only dropped shot was at the first and a birdie at the third took him to the turn in 34. He had further birdies at the 12th and 17th and and holed out from 23 feet across the home green to head The Open challenge on one-under-par total of 139.
Norman's lead had been unchallenged since lunchtime, the closest threat coming from young Colombian Camilo Villegas who returned the day's most spectacular round of 65 that included five consecutive closing birdies. At the 18th he rattled the flagstick with wedge shot from 176 yards and holed the putt to finish at one over.
Choi, who took up the game at the age of 16, finished eighth in last year's Championship at Carnoustie but was struggling with his game at the beginning of this season. After his 67 he admitted that he had regained confidence in his chipping and putting and his driving had also improved during the week.
Defending champion Padraig Harrington made big strides with a 68 that lifted him into a share of fourth place alongside former US Open champion Jim Furyk, Alexander Noren of Sweden and overnight leaders Rocco Mediate, Graeme McDowell and Robert Allenby.
Late in the day 2001 champion David Duval joined the fourth-placed group When he mounted a charge over the back nine that included birdies at the 10th, 11th and 14th, but also bogeys at the 13th and 16th.
Colin Montgomerie looked as if he was on the way out of the Championship after an extraordinary run of par, double bogey, par, par, triple bogey, double bogey in his opening six holes. When it seemed that the decline was bound to continue he strung together birdies at the seventh and eighth and missed from short range for another at the ninth before finally making the cut with a 75.
With the entire field bunched within nine shots and winds of up to 40 miles an hour forecast for tomorrow, the Championship is still wide open. |
